Shloka 135

Āśauca, Daśāha Piṇḍa-Rites, Vṛṣotsarga, Sāpiṇḍīkaraṇa, and the Yama-mārga

Path to Yama

Devanagari script

क्व दूतवज्रप्रतिमकैर्मत्पदकर्षणम् / दशमे मासि पिण्डादि तत्र भुक्त्वा प्रसर्पति

Transliteration

kva dūtavajrapratimakairmatpadakarṣaṇam / daśame māsi piṇḍādi tatra bhuktvā prasarpati

Translation

How could there be the dragging of my feet by Yama’s messengers, whose force is like a thunderbolt? In the tenth month, having eaten the piṇḍa-offerings and the like there, he then crawls onward.

Word by Word

• क्व: where?
• क्व: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• दूतवज्रप्रतिमकैः: by thunderbolt-like messengers
• दूतवज्रप्रतिमकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दूत (प्रातिपदिक) + वज्र (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रतिमक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (‘messengers’ thunderbolt-like ones’)

• मत्पदकर्षणम्: dragging of my feet
• मत्पदकर्षणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत् (अस्मद्-षष्ठी एकवचन-रूप, उपपद) + पद (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘my feet’ dragging)

• दशमे: in the tenth
• दशमे: Adhikarana (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन; क्रमवाचक-विशेषण

• मासि: month
• मासि: Adhikarana (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन

• पिण्डादि: piṇḍa and the like (offerings)
• पिण्डादि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; ‘पिण्ड-आदि’ (piṇḍa etc.) उपपद-तत्पुरुष/समाहारद्वन्द्वभावः

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• भुक्त्वा: having eaten
• भुक्त्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु) + क्त्वा (अव्ययकृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having eaten)

• प्रसर्पति: crawls; creeps forth
• प्रसर्पति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + सृप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Preta (the departed soul) speaking within Lord Vishnu’s narration to Garuda

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: दशमे मासि (tenth month after death)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The soul is compelled along by agents of Yama according to karma; offerings provide sustenance but do not halt the onward movement toward judgment/experience.

Vedantic Theme: Karma as an impelling force (pravṛtti) shaping post-mortem trajectory; external supports mitigate but cannot erase accrued tendencies without deeper transformation.

Application: Live ethically to reduce fearful consequences; perform śrāddha to aid the departed; reflect on accountability beyond death.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: road/path

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: Yamadūta imagery (vajra-like force) and dragging/carrying the preta; Garuda Purana: tenth-month piṇḍa benefits preceding further travel

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Yama-dutas
• Preta
• Pinda (piṇḍa)

FAQs

What is the importance of piṇḍa (pinda-dāna) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse implies that the departed being is sustained by piṇḍa and related offerings; after partaking of them (here specified in the tenth month), he is able to continue his difficult onward movement in the post-death journey.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

It portrays the preta’s condition as constrained and painful—subject to Yama’s agents and moving only with difficulty—yet also shows that ritual offerings (piṇḍa-ādi) provide support that enables continued progress.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform śrāddha and piṇḍa-dāna with care and sincerity, and live ethically to reduce fear of Yama’s judgment; the verse reinforces responsibility toward ancestors and the consequences of one’s deeds.